Amla sees many positives despite Test series loss

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IANS

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Updated

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8 December 2015,

10:26 pm

New Delhi: His team may have lost the four-match Test series to India, but South Africa skipper Hashim Amla asserted on Monday that he will take a lot of positives from the way his teammates performed during the tour.

India bundled out South Africa for 143 runs in the second innings to win the fourth and final Test by 337 runs and clinch the series 3-0.

They had won the first Test in Mohali by 108 runs and the third in Nagpur by 124 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the series going into the clash at the Ferozeshah Kotla.

The second Test in Bengaluru was washed out due to heavy rain after the opening day.

Amla, however, preferred to focus more on the positives, singling out pacer Morne Morkel for the way he led the attack in the absence of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander.

“There are quite a few positives we can take. Our bowling has been exceptional on this tour. For me, it has been the signing light to see Morne (Morkel) lead the attack in the absence of Dale (Steyn) and Verne (Philander). He bowled some of the best spells of fast bowling I have seen,” Amla said after the end of the fifth day’s play here.

“I am very happy with the way our bowling responded in these conditions.”

India bundled out South Africa for 143 runs in the second innings to win the fourth and final Test by 337 runs and clinch the series 3-0.

But the visitors produced a superb display of defensive batting with the experienced AB de Villiers, Faf du Plesiss and Amla himself trying their best to tire out the Indian bowlers.

The Proteas set milestones in defensive batting in the process which pleased Amla.

“The need of the time was for us to bat as long as we can. We could not take many risks and put the tricky shots out of the equation and try to draw this Test match. To do it was quite difficult,” he said.

To just block the full tosses and half volleys is unnatural for batting. But when it is done, you kind of appreciate the determination that the players showed to knuckle down for the team’s sake,” he said.

“AB was a prime example in this. You need to do what is to be done for the team.”